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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Am I being greedy?

35 replies

whatintheworld11 · 18/04/2026 18:35

So last year, my SIL borrowed our lawnmower and then just kept it. When I finally asked DH to ask his sister to give it back (she kept ignoring me) as we needed to mow the garden she told him it had actually broken. I was understanding as lawnmowers can break so we left it.

Fast forward to this year, same SIL is asking to borrow the lawnmower again. I’ve absolutely refused politely saying “Didn’t you break the last one we lent you? To be honest I don’t want to give it as I really need to keep the garden tidy for the kids and I can’t keep buying lawnmowers”

I’ve now been accused of being “so greedy, what the hell is wrong with me” that it’s not even my lawnmower because her brother has paid for it (I’m on maternity leave and not working at the minute so DH covering most finances)

I mean DH has even said why have I made such a big deal and let them borrow it?

AIBU to not let them and think they should bloody well buy their own or should I do the neighbourly thing?

OP posts:
daisychain01 · 18/04/2026 19:28

why doesn't she buy a lawn mower on Amazon, crikey they're hardly a small fortune! Do you guys only cut your grass twice a year or something.

Thefingerofblame · 18/04/2026 19:28

@whatintheworld11 does she have a birthday coming up? You could buy her one. I’d hate to get a lawnmower for my birthday but I would certainly understand why I did!

nzborn · 18/04/2026 19:31

Id be tempted to lend them the broken one

Spotteddaisy · 18/04/2026 19:34

Petty but...If its an electric one take the fuse out of the plug, then lend it to her. Then after a week or so ask for it back and if she says it's not working tell her she owes you a new one as that's two she's now broken... 😆

Scout2016 · 18/04/2026 19:36

Where's the broken one?

I can't believe she didn't replace the one she broke. Even worse she wants to borrow your new one. Then slagged you for not handing it over. Bloody hell, the nerve of some people.

DreamyJade · 18/04/2026 19:37

Tell her to get the broken one fixed and she can use that one.

TheDenimPoet · 18/04/2026 19:39

How long does it reasonably take to mow a lawn? Send DH round with the mower, he can have a brew while they mow, and then bring it straight back with him. There's no reason for them to keep it for an extended period.

HideousKinky · 18/04/2026 19:46

Onelittledog · 18/04/2026 19:12

Puts me in mind of a neighbour I used to have who never bought anything. She borrowed my mop and bucket almost daily, I always had to go and ask for it back. It became "the mop", inferring joint ownership. I got so fed up I bought another. Me, my mop and bucket had several blissful weeks together before a request to borrow my mop came because "her bucket" had broken. I said no. Same neighbour once asked to borrow my dining room table and on another occasion I came home to find my garden table and chairs in her garden because they were having a bloody barbecue!!
Then there was the nightly treks down the road with various casseroles, lasagne etc that needed heated in my microwave because here had broken.
Oh! And regularly looking out of the window to see her hanging washing out on my line because hers was full.
I moved house in the course of time and the relief was immense.

Did you start a thread about this neighbour? The garden table & chairs being moved into neighbour's garden sounds familiar....

JHound · 18/04/2026 19:47

Nesbi · 18/04/2026 18:37

Lend her a pair of scissors.

Ha ha ha! I love this and would do the same.

Onelittledog · 18/04/2026 20:15

HideousKinky · 18/04/2026 19:46

Did you start a thread about this neighbour? The garden table & chairs being moved into neighbour's garden sounds familiar....

No, there must be more of them out there

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